


With The Shadow

by Siamesepolyporegoat



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Assassin! Kuroko, M/M, Prince! Akashi, Some violence etc., dark themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2018-09-19 01:59:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9412802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siamesepolyporegoat/pseuds/Siamesepolyporegoat
Summary: Kuroko Tetsuya is an infamous assassin that has been known by the name of ‘The Phantom’ for the past eight years. Only a few who have seen his form have survived, but only dead people know his face. However, one day he gets a mission request from a rich nobleman to assassinate the crown prince of Teiko. He accepts it, but that turns out to be a grave mistake when the prince isn’t all that willing to go down.





	1. Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> ...okay so I wrote the first two chapters like half a year ago or something and never posted them and I really liked the plan I had for this so now that I have decided to continued to write this I decided to post the first chapter (though, I should probably update a new chapter to Our Castle too...I will probably do it soon) I have a plan for this fic but I will see where it will go. I have already written five chapters of this so there are some warnings which you probably already saw in the tags...  
>  Okay, it's enough of my rambling! Hope you enjoy! And please leave a comment of what you think of this! If you think I should change something or there are some errors please tell me so I can make this better!!!

A shadow creeps in the darkness of the night, gracefully leaping from roof to roof with only the moon to light his way. With swift movements his hands grab onto a windowsill and in a blink of an eye, he’s already inside and the sleeping person inside will stay asleep forever as his throat is cleanly cut open.

 

Only silence is left and the room is devoid of any living person. Only the wind caressed the dead person’s coldening skin as the shadow, The Phantom, disappears into the night.

 

* * *

 

_SMACK!_

 

“Ow!”

 

“Kuroko, didn’t I already say to stop your assassin work?”, A tall redhead scolded the smaller bluehead, who was rubbing the top of his head.

 

“I never said, I would comply”, Kuroko returned blankly.

 

“Kuroko, you don’t need to-”

 

“Yes, I do”, Kuroko interrupted the redhead. “The medicine prices have gone up, Kagami-kun. How else are we supposed to afford them?”

 

“We have our restaurant for fuck sake, Kuroko!”, the redhead, Kagami Taiga, growled.

 

“With the way the business in going right now, I could make thrice as much in one night than we could with it in a week”, Kuroko said, before his lips turned upwards into a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. It’ll be just fine.” _And even if I died, it would just mean one less mouth to feed,_ Kuroko thought.

 

“No, it won’t! What if you get caught!? What are you planning to do then!?”, Kagami yelled, but Kuroko quickly shushed him.

 

“You are going to wake everyone up, Kagami-kun. And besides, I won’t get caught”, he said.

 

“How can you be so sure!?”

 

“I promise, I won’t get caught. Even if I do, I’ll be able to get away with my lack of presence”, Kuroko reassured and the redhead heaved a tired sigh.

 

“Then don’t come crying to me once you get decapitated”, he muttered under his breath as he turned away from the bluehead, scratching the back of his neck.

 

Kuroko smiled gently as he looked at his childhood friend. “I’ll be fine. I promise”, he said, but the other only huffed as an answer.

 

* * *

 

_The next day:_

 

“You will _NOT_ accept that job, Kuroko”, Kagami demanded, a deep frown on his face. “This is where I draw the line. That is going too far and you know it.”

 

“I know it’s dangerous, but with the reward we could get, not just the medicine, but also a full treatment for them. For all of them”, Kuroko said, his face devoid of any emotion as he stared at the redhead.

 

“But it’s still too risky! Kuroko, for once listen to me”, Kagami said, almost pleading.

 

“Kagami-kun, please. We could get them treated. I could also stop working as an assassin and we could all live like we used to before. Isn’t that what you want too?”

 

“Yeah, it is. But he’s not like the others you have killed. He has well-trained guards and I hear he himself is also great at combat. It’s going to be suicide mission!”, Kagami reasoned, but the sky blue eyes staring at him didn’t falter. “Kuroko, you can’t be serious….”

 

“I am. And I have already accepted the job, Kagami-kun. I want to- I _need_ to do this. I want to ease their suffering”, Kuroko said determinedly with certain level of finality and Kagami sighed in defeat.

 

“Just….Just come back alive, okay? Don’t you dare to get caught”, Kagami said. He couldn’t win a verbal fight with the bluehead. Kuroko smiled reassuringly.

 

“I promise”, he said. “Since I will be leaving in the evening, it would give me additional energy to have a vanilla milkshake before I go.”

 

“Oh, you little shit. Only this once.” Kagami grinned at the smaller as he got right to work. Inside, he hoped the evening would never come.

 

* * *

 

Kuroko wore a completely black outfit with only his sky blue eyes visible and underneath the outfit he had few hidden daggers and other small weapons.

 

“You really will do this?”, Kagami asked as he stepped into Kuroko’s room.

 

“We went over this already, Kagami-kun”, Kuroko said instead, not turning to look at the redhead. “I’ll need to leave soon.”

 

Kuroko finally turned around to look at the redhead briefly. “See you, Kagami-kun”, he said before jumping out of his window and disappearing into the darkness of the night.

 

“See you, Kuroko”, Kagami whispered, even though he knew the bluehead would no longer hear it.

 

* * *

 

Kuroko jumped from roof to roof as he ran towards his targets home, the imperial palace. The mission given to him was to assassinate the crown prince of the country, Akashi Seijuro, who resides in the city of Rakuzan, the capital of Teiko.

 

Rakuzan is a city surrounded by a wall to only let certain individuals inside to ensure the safety of the imperial family. To make the palace even safer, it is also inside great walls and it’s said to be impossible to get in without an invitation and a proper identification. But Kuroko would do just that. He would get inside the imperial palace and murder the crown prince.

 

Kuroko soon arrived in front of the east gate of Rakuzan. There were guards positioned next to the closed gate and he could see slight movement and fire flickering on top of the wall also.

 

Kagami had been right. The capital was heavily guarded and that only meant that the palace was even harder to get into. But he wouldn’t give up so early.

 

He circled the wall little to the right, enough to get out of the sight of the gate guards and ran towards the wall with two daggers in his hands. He leaped and ran up the wall for a short distance, before sinking his other dagger into the concrete wall. Fortunately, Kuroko was light, because the dagger didn’t sink all that deep into the hard stone.

 

He took his other dagger and sunk it as high in the wall as he could reach before taking the other out and sinking it even higher.

 

He continued like this until he was almost at the top. He studied his surroundings. Only three men were close to him, but two of them were conversing together while one was looking at the other two with a disgusted expression.

 

Kuroko took the chance and jumped on the top with a silent step and leaped down with the same grace, no one noticing him. He turned his body to face the wall and sunk his daggers into the wall, clawing at the surface as he slid down. He stopped just few meters away from the ground and removed his daggers from the stone, falling to the ground with a spin.

 

He quickly rose to his feet and hid himself into the shadows as he took off into a run towards the palace.

 

When Kuroko arrived in front of the palace walls, he knew it wouldn’t be as easy to get in. There were more guards around all parts of the wall, not just in front of the gate, and the wall was twice as high and made from harder stone.

 

Climbing over wouldn’t work so the only thing he could do was go through the gate, but the problem was how to get it open?

 

He took a few small, black balls from inside his outfit and thought over his plan for a bit. _That will work hopefully._

 

Kuroko swiftly threw the balls towards the gate and before the guards managed to react, the balls exploded, causing injuries but not enough to kill.

 

“WHAT HAPPENED!?”

 

“WE ARE BEING ATTACKED! SOMEONE INFORM HIS HIGHNESS!”

 

Kuroko usually preferred to do his work quietly, without anyone noticing before the work was done, but he needed some panic this time around.

 

As he had expected, one of the guards requested the gate to be opened slightly for him to inform the emperor of an attack and in the same Kuroko slipped into the palace grounds, without anyone’s notice.

 

He hid into a tree’s shadow as he took out a small piece of paper which contained information about the prince’s room’s location. After reading it once more, he headed towards the palace.

 

He jumped and grabbed onto a windowsill, before jumping to another one higher up and made his way up the palace’s wall until he was at the target’s window.

 

Kuroko looked down as he heard footsteps and noticed some soldiers heading to the gate, of course not noticing him.

 

He peeked inside from window to make sure that no one was awake in the room and once he noticed no light or movement in, he jumped on the windowsill and took out one of his daggers. He slid the dagger into the gap of the window and pried the window open slowly, before getting in.

 

The room was dark, but he could see how big the room was despite it. Kuroko eyed the room before his eyes landed on the bed where the crown prince rests. He silently approached the sleeping figure with his dagger ready, but before he could react, he was already pinned to the ground with his hands behind his back.

 

“I have to say I’m disappointed”, the male on top of him said. “I expected you to be smarter, _Phantom_.”

 

Kuroko glanced behind him. Even in the darkness, the moonlight as enough for Kuroko to make out crimson hair and gleaming, heterochromatic eyes, one red and one golden. _Akashi Seijuro,_ he thought glaring at the redhead.

 

Akashi’s intense, but calm gaze almost sent a shiver down Kuroko’s spine, but he refused to show it. Instead, he tried to roll onto his back in an attempt to throw the slightly taller male off of him. However, it didn’t work as well as planned when the redhead seemed to predict his movement and pushed his forearm into the back of Kuroko’s head, keeping him still.

 

“Useless attempt”, Akashi said before his lips turned into a small smirk. “But I have to compliment you though. You are the first assassin to ever get this far, but you failed nonetheless.”

 

“I have doubt that”, Kuroko said as he continued glaring at the crimson haired prince. “With guards that careless and oblivious, I have to be impressed how none of the people in the palace have been murdered yet.” Kuroko paused for a moment, his eyes hardening. “Or the selfish people such as yourself has hidden it from everyone to protect your wealth.”

 

Kuroko expected the redhead to get angry and slice his throat open with the bluehead’s dagger, but instead the other smiled. His smile was like a predator’s who had found a delicious meal.

 

“I wonder…”, Akashi hummed as he set his hand on Kuroko’s head and took Kuroko’s mask off, revealing soft strands of sky blue hair and porcelain skin along with a better view of those deep, but blank eyes of azure, which were glaring at him.

 

Curiosity flashed briefly in Akashi’s mismatched eyes, before he picked up Kuroko’s fallen dagger off the floor. He spun the sharp weapon in his hand and he could see it had been used by a professional.

 

“Now, then…”, Akashi said, trailing off as he brought the dagger to Kuroko’s neck and the other’s eyes didn’t waver. Akashi saw no fear in them, but just as he was about to continue talking, Kuroko interrupted him, much to his displeasure.

 

“If you plan to get information off of me, it’s going to be useless. I rather die than tell anything to you”, Kuroko said blankly with a slight bite in it.

 

Akashi hummed and removed the dagger from his neck.

 

“Then what if I said I would reward you more than your “client”, if you tell me the name of the person who sent you”, Akashi suggested, though it was more of a demand than just a simple request.

 

“I have to decline, _Your Highness,_ for I can’t be sure you aren’t lying and I have promised to my “clients”, as you called them, that their names are to be kept a secret.” _Even if they were rich pigs,_ Kuroko added in his head.

 

“But you can’t be sure that they will pay you either”, Akashi said.

 

“If they don’t pay, it’s their life that they will pay with. For me to have to take a precious human life and knowing that killing them was worth nothing is all too cruel”, Kuroko explained, but all too late he noticed that he had talked about too personal things and turned his eyes away. Akashi seemed to notice it on his face, as briefly as it existed there.

 

“Oh? So what you are doing isn’t just the same? I wonder how so?”, Akashi asked, even though he had his ideas, but when Kuroko stayed silent, he continued. “Could it be that you are doing this for a friend? No, maybe a family member?”

 

Akashi knew he had hit the bull's eye when Kuroko shifted his eyes back to the redhead. Kuroko silently cursed himself for reacting even slightly.

 

“What is it to you?”, Kuroko spat instead of trying to deny it uselessly.

 

Akashi smiled. His smile was dark and sinister and Kuroko had to hold back from shivering.

 

“Wouldn’t you want to know your new _toy’s_ features, before _playing_ with it?”, Akashi answered and Kuroko’s eyes turned freezing cold.

 

“Don’t think you can toy with me easily”, he retorted, glaring at the redhead.

  
“I love challenging games”, Akashi said, before leaning to Kuroko’s ear. “Besides, after getting away for years already, I’m going to make you submit to me, nice and slow”, Akashi whispered.


	2. Useless Stubbornness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! I'M FINALLY BACK WITH NEW CHAPTER FOR THIS! WOHOO! AFTER OVER HALF A YEAR!  
> Okay so I've been really unmotivated and kind of stuck with this story since I decided to change some of the things that I was planning to do....so I'm now rewriting the chapters for this that I had ready but had yet to publish. Also I changed some of the tags because of that, but no dramatic changes though.
> 
> Okay, but now without further ado, enjoy!

A knock on the door made Akashi raise his head from Kuroko’s ear and turn to the door.

 

 _“Akashi, there has been an attack in front of the east gate. They expect the attacker to have gotten in”_ came the voice from the other side of the door.

 

“Shintaro, huh? Come in”, Akashi said and the door opened to reveal a tall green haired male with glasses. _Midorima Shintaro, the crown prince’s right hand man and a very capable doctor and an archer, known for his accuracy,_ Kuroko deduced as his eyes shifted to the newcomer.

 

Midorima stepped in and stopped immediately, raising an eyebrow at the scene.

 

“Akashi, what are you doing on the floor?”, he asked, not noticing the bluehead under the prince.

 

“Close the door”, Akashi ordered and Midorima complied. “As for the “attacker”, I already have him captured.” Akashi pointed to Kuroko and Midorima’s eyes widened as he noticed the male on his stomach under Akashi.

 

“Wha-”, the greenhead started, but cleared his throat to compose himself. “Akashi, may I ask what is going on here?”

 

“I believe I just said it, did I not?”, Akashi said, arching a brow.

 

Midorima sighed. “When oha-asa predicted that sagittarius would get lucky at night, this wasn’t what I expected”, he muttered, before pushing his glasses up. “So, do you know who he is?”

 

“The Phantom”, Akashi said with a smug smirk and Midorima almost didn’t believe his ears. _Did Akashi just say that The Phantom is that fragile looking boy? He’s about the same age as us!? There’s no way he would be the one to have escaped us for years already!_

 

“Akashi, are you sure?”, he asked, once again adjusting his glasses and gained a glare from Akashi.

 

“Are you questioning me?”, Akashi asked, the temperature in the room seemingly dropping a few degrees. “Shintaro, I am absolute. I am _always_ right.”

 

Midorima opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, he was interrupted by the one they almost forgot.

 

“You can’t be serious?”, Kuroko scoffed and the two pairs of eyes turned to him. “Absolute? Always right? Is that what you are made to believe? So that’s why you couldn’t care less what happens to the poorer people, because you believe everything you do is right? How stupid.”

 

“And how are you any better, exactly?”, Akashi asked, his golden eye gleaming warningly, making the greenhead shiver slightly, but it didn’t seem to affect the smallest of them.

 

“Who said, I was?”, Kuroko retorted, glaring at the redhead, whose lips turned to a small, deadly smile at the answer.

 

“Shintaro”, Akashi called without turning his eyes from the bluehead underneath him.

 

“Y-yes?” Midorima internally cursed himself for stuttering.

 

“Get everyone in here”, Akashi commanded as he smiled devilishly at Kuroko.

 

“By everyone you mean…?”, Midorima confirmed.

 

“The rest of the Generation of Miracles”, Akashi said and after a bow to the red haired prince, Midorima exited the room.

 

 _‘The Generation of Miracles’_ , Kuroko thought. _Five young, terrifyingly powerful people who only listen to the most powerful out of them all, the crown prince of Teiko, Akashi Seijuro._

 

“What are you planning to do with me?”, Kuroko asked and Akashi chuckled.

 

“You will become a part of my toybox”, he answered, clear amusement and mischief in his mismatched eyes.

 

In that moment, Kuroko could almost hear Kagami saying “I told you” in the distance. He scoffed.

 

“I’m not going to become a toy for someone like you.”

 

“We’ll see about that”, Akashi said, before they heard a few knocks on the door and four people, including Midorima, filed into the still dark room.

 

“Oi, Akashi! Is it true you caught The Phantom!?”, a tanned male asked as he walked into the room.

 

“Daiki, lower your voice”, Akashi commanded.

 

 _Aomine Daiki, one of Akashi Seijuro’s personal bodyguards and a fierce warrior that’s known for his unrivaled strength and speed,_ Kuroko remembered.

 

“Akashicchi! Where is The Phantom?”, hyped a blond male.

 

_Kise Ryouta, another one of his personal bodyguards and a spy, known for his ability to copy skills._

 

“Oh, Aka-chin, is he The Phantom?”, a very tall, purple haired male said while eating a bag of chips, gaining everyone’s attention on the bluehead.

 

_Murasakibara Atsushi, the crown prince’s personal chef and one of his bodyguards, known for his strength and height._

 

“Atsushi, don’t eat in my room or I will make sure you will be without any snacks for a month”, Akashi threatened and the giant immediately stopped eating with a pout.

 

_And Akashi Seijuro, the crown prince of Teiko and leader of the so called Generation of Miracles, known for his never-ending victories and great achievements._

 

“If Aka-chin says so”, Murasakibara mumbled.

 

“And yes, he is, indeed, The Phantom”, Akashi revealed, but who else could it be?

 

“Eeeeh? But Akashicchi, he’s so small!”, Kise whined, not believing Kuroko to be The Phantom who was told to be a bloodthirsty murderer.

 

“Are you saying that I’m wrong, Ryouta?”, Akashi asked. It was a simple question, but Kise gulped when he felt the murderous aura around the redhead.

 

“N-no, of course not, Akashicchi!”, Kise said, waving his hands in front of him in an attempt to pacify the prince.

 

“Good. Now, then...”, Akashi said, before looking at them all. Though he was pretty much sitting on the ground on Kuroko, he was clearly the most superior person in the room. “I’m planning to keep him at the palace.”

 

The room was in complete silence as everyone took the words in.

 

“But Akashi, what will the emperor think about-”

 

“My father will not be told. He doesn’t need to know”, Akashi stated, interrupting Midorima.

 

“But how are you going to keep him here so that the emperor doesn’t learn about it, Akashicchi?”, Kise asked this time.

 

“The storage room at the end of this corridor is never used and my father rarely even comes here to greet me”, Akashi explained, before turning to look at Kuroko with a smirk. “What’s even better is that the room can be locked from the outside and there are no windows for him to escape from.”

 

Kuroko glared at the redhead. If Akashi thinks Kuroko can’t escape from some locked room, he is going to be wrong. Kuroko will show him.

 

* * *

 

Kuroko sat on a desk in front of a semi-big door. It was the second day of imprisonment in the palace in a room with no windows and a lock on the outside, like Akashi had said.

 

Kuroko thought that he could pick the lock, but it seemed that the lock was _only_ on the outside. There went his plan of escaping with that method.

 

When he was being brought food ( _did the redhead think that he’s a pet or something?)_ , he tried to slip out, but Akashi had predicted the escape attempt and caught him before he got more than a step out of the room. Another fail.

 

Now he was at plan C which was to barricade the door. Sure, he couldn’t escape this way, but at least Akashi wouldn’t be getting in. That was at least something, right?

 

He suddenly heard someone turning the handle and trying to open the door, and to their surprise, not being able to.

 

 _“Aka-chin, the key isn’t working.”_ sounded from the other side of the door and Kuroko had memorized that voice to belong to the purple haired chef. He then heard an amused chuckle.

 

 _“The key is working. He has put something in front of the door”_ , Akashi said on the other side and Kuroko resisted the urge to glare at the door. _So he didn’t even have to test the door…_

 

 _“And I know, you can hear me, Phantom. I heard you moving things around, but to think you’d lock yourself in there, instead of trying to escape, exceeded my expectations”_ , Akashi said to him through the door and Kuroko rolled his eyes.

 

“At least I don’t have to see your face”, Kuroko returned as he hopped down from the desk and walked to his self-made bed, which consisted of just a blanket and a pillow.

 

He did have a bed in the room. A really luxurious one at that, at least by his standards, which were pretty low. But he didn’t feel right sleeping on it when the people back home only slept on such hard and worn-out beds. Besides, he felt more secure sleeping in the corner rather than in the middle of the room.

 

As he sat down on the blanket, he heard some inaudible mumbling and footsteps from the other side of the door, before all noise ceased. He doubted Akashi just gave up just like that, but he couldn’t be sure, since the redhead was as unpredictable as life itself.

 

After a few seconds of complete silence he tiptoed to the door and moved the desk just enough for him to fit between it and the door. He placed his hand on the door’s handle and when he turned it, it was unlocked. _Maybe he’s not as clever as I originally thought,_ Kuroko mused as he eyed the hallway. There was no one close-by.

 

Kuroko caught a sight of a window just a little further down the hallway and took off into a run towards it. He jumped to kick the glass to pieces, but before he made contact, his arm was grabbed and he was pushed against the wall.

 

“Good try, but I already knew you would do it. Did you think Atsushi wouldn’t be able move a desk that you could?”

 

Kuroko didn’t even need to look behind to know that Akashi was the one holding him still, but this time he wasn’t underneath him. He may have a chance.

 

Kuroko tried to pull his arms free of Akashi’s grasp, but in the same he lifted his leg to kick Akashi to the shin. He missed when the redhead dodged his kick, but as Akashi’s leg was up, Kuroko pushed him back and spun around. He got his other arm free and tried to punch Akashi to the gut, but the redhead soon got hold of his wrists and pinned him back to the wall, this time facing him.

 

Akashi leaned into Kuroko’s ear and whispered warningly: “Don’t underestimate me.”

 

Kuroko huffed. “Same goes for you.”

 

Before Akashi could react, Kuroko had his teeth in his neck, biting hard enough to draw blood. Akashi’s hold loosened slightly from the surprise, but it was enough for Kuroko to yank his hands out of Akashi’s grasp.

 

He ducked under the redhead’s arms and ran towards the window again, this time successfully breaking the glass. However, before he began his fall outside, Akashi had already grabbed him by the collar to pull him back and bent his arms behind his back, with a little too much force.

 

“I may have underestimated you, Phantom”, Akashi said, his voice spilling with authority and dominance. “But I will promise that you won’t get as far again. And I always keep my word.”

 

Before Kuroko could hiss at the redhead, Kise’s voice drew their attention as he and Aomine rushed to the area.

 

“Akashicchi, is everything alright? We heard a window shatter!”

 

Akashi turned his gaze to the broken window and the glass shards on the floor.

 

“I’m alright”, he simply answered. “I will take Phantom back to his room. Daiki, you get someone to clean this up. Possibly someone who is rarely in contact with my father in any way. If they ask about how it broke say that you broke it”, Akashi instructed, before he felt some warm liquid on his hands. He looked down and saw quite a few cuts on the blue haired male, caused by the shattered glass. “Ryouta, go and tell Shintaro to come see the Phantom.”

 

Kise and Aomine nodded, before rushing to get their respective tasks done. The redhead wouldn’t like it if they took too long and an angry Akashi was the last thing they needed. Akashi watched them until Kuroko’s voice called his attention to the smaller.

 

“So you really are scared of your father”, Kuroko commented mockingly.

 

“I am not scared of him. He just can get extremely annoying”, Akashi said, glaring at the other, but Kuroko ignored the obvious “you don’t want to know what will happen if you say that again” written in the redhead’s aura.

 

“That’s something that a scared, overly prideful person would say”, Kuroko returned. “Or could it be that you just don’t want him stealing ‘your toy’.”

 

Akashi was fuming, Kuroko could see. _So he has daddy-issues? I have to remember,_ Kuroko thought, but he was soon flipped around and slammed against the wall, before he could react and let out a sharp gasp.

 

He had to hold another gasp in when he saw Akashi’s heterochromatic eyes, both gleaming brightly in the dimly lit hallway.

 

“Don’t play with your life. I could kill you right here, right now, if I wanted. My father would’ve already executed you so you are lucky it’s me and not _him._ Unless, the cold grip of death is what you desire”, Akashi hissed. Kuroko had really stepped on a landmine, but he wasn’t backing down.

 

“At least death’s touch wouldn’t be so disgusting”, Kuroko retorted, which may have been a bad move.

 

Akashi finally snapped and wrapped his hands to Kuroko’s neck, strangling him and lifted him off the ground.

 

“My touch is disgusting, huh? We’ll see about that”, Akashi hissed as let go of the other male’s neck and grabbed his hair instead, dragging him back to the storage room which had become Kuroko’s prison. He pushed the bluehead on the bed forcefully and started undressing him.

 

“W-wait! What are doing!? Stop!”, Kuroko yelled as he tried to kick and punch the other, but the redhead was absolutely furious as he held the smaller in place.

 

There were a few knocks on the door, but before the other person could open the door, Akashi’s angry voice stopped him.

 

“FUCK OFF, SHINTARO!”, he yelled furiously as he continued to take the garments off the struggling bluehead.

 

“STOP!”, Kuroko yelled louder this time when Akashi tied his arms over his head with his shirt.

 

After taking the smaller’s underwear off, he was completely open and vulnerable, trying to free his hands to no avail.

 

“Let go of me!”, Kuroko shouted, almost bordering on pleading, as Akashi grabbed his still kicking legs, before leaning to Kuroko’s ear.

 

“I warned you”, Akashi whispered with venom as he once again placed his hands around the smaller male’s neck, squeezing tightly, effectively cutting off the other’s oxygen supply. “I don’t like it when my _toys_ don’t do as I say.” The hold tightened and Kuroko was clawing the bed sheets as he tried to get his hands free. “A _toy_ ’s only purpose is to listen to its master. One that doesn’t is _useless_.”

 

It burned and hurt as he tried to desperately breathe. Kuroko felt tears at the corners of his eyes, but he held them in by digging his nails into his palms. He wouldn’t let Akashi see him cry even if that was the last thing he did. It possibly was considering how mad the prince was.

 

Kuroko tried to kick the other off but it was just getting harder. His strength was leaving him as the seconds ticked by, the room starting to swirl. Then he felt the redhead’s other hand move from his neck to his thigh as he spread them apart violently.

 

He felt humiliated, utterly shameful laying there naked. He knew what would come afterwards, but at this moment he couldn’t even find the strength to care when black overtook his senses.


	3. Bird Cage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Hope you all have had a wonderful new year! I'm back here with another chapter (to ruin all your fun times ;3)  
> Enjoy~ (If you can)

Kuroko groaned as he stirred in his sleep, his ocean blue eyes opening soon afterwards. It was dark, the only light coming from underneath the closed door as the room he was in had no windows.

 

He sat up, but flinched back down because of the pain from all around his body, especially his throat. His eyes widened as he remembered what had happened the previous day. He quickly threw off the blanket that was covering him and noticed he was still naked, but felt bandages on his arms and legs. However, he didn’t care about them right now as he felt around his butt, trying to search for an ache….or possibly something worse. When he didn’t feel anything, he heaved a sigh of relief as he slumped against the bed, covering his eyes with hands.  _ Nothing happened. I’m fine _ .

 

However, he didn’t know how long he would be fine when he heard footsteps stop in front of the door and the lock being opened. He quickly covered himself with the blanket and pretended to sleep.

 

He heard the door open as light suddenly flooded the previously dark room. There was a soft hum, before the footsteps motioned to the bed, stopping right next to it.

 

Kuroko kept breathing calmly, as if still in deep sleep, even as his heart was racing in his chest with apprehension. He wasn’t scared of death by no means. He would welcome it if the need came. But the feeling of not knowing what would happen next unnerved him greatly. He couldn’t look at the person to read their expression. He didn’t even know who-

 

“Trying to pretend to sleep doesn’t work on me, Phantom”, the person interrupted his thoughts.  _ Akashi Seijuro. Of course. _

 

Kuroko inhaled quietly before sitting up, facing the prince as he glared at him.

 

“I bet you would’ve said that even if I wasn’t actually awake”, he scoffed.

 

“Are you questioning my power? I’m pretty sure I showed you two days ago which one of us is superior”, Akashi answered with a calm gaze, but the bluehead could see that he was displeased.

 

“It’s your intelligence that I’m questioning if you didn’t understand. Especially since you think you are superior to me just because you may be physically stronger”, Kuroko spat out.

 

“I’m superior to you in  _ every way _ ”, the redhead corrected before a smirk rose onto his lips. “Or do you think it was an accident that the door was left open? Do you think it was coincidence that I caught you again? If so then I think I’m disappointed in you, Phantom.”

 

“So you’re saying that you have everything that happens planned out?” Kuroko rolled his eyes before returning his glare to the crimson haired male. “But I guess that your plan lacked a little  _ bite _ .”

 

“Oh, I was surprised. I should’ve known that would happen, but I expected you to be more human. But it seems that all low-lifes are  _ animals  _ after all”, the prince mocked, his head held high as he looked down at Kuroko.

 

Kuroko grit his teeth and tightened his fists until his knuckles turned white, but held his anger in. Now wasn’t the time to lose his cool. That’s just what Akashi wanted. So he took a long breath and cooled his features into an unreadable, calm mask.

 

Akashi hummed, interested.

 

“So what are you planning to do with me now?”, the assassin decided to ask.

 

“That will depend wholly on you, my dear Phantom”, the redhead said with a smirk. “As long as you are entertaining, you can keep your life. After that...well, I’m sure you can guess.”

 

“Don’t think I’ll be your monkey in a cage”, Kuroko hissed.

 

“I don’t. I’d think of you more as an exotic bird, one of a kind, kept locked in cage and only admired in secret. Never seen by anyone else and never free.”

 

The bluehead resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he scoffed.

 

“Do you think your ‘bird cage’ is going to stop me? I will tear it down before you even notice and reclaim my freedom.”

 

“Oh, don’t worry”, Akashi started and Kuroko wasn’t sure he liked the knowing glint in his eyes. “I will be sure to clip your wings soon enough.”

 

* * *

 

It was the very same evening, after Kuroko had finally gotten new clothes to dress himself in, when Akashi came back, this time with a smug smirk on his face. Kuroko glared at the prince.

 

“What do you want this-”

 

“ _ A shadow will become darker if the light is stronger _ ”, Akashi interrupted.

 

Kuroko paled and his eyes widened as he touched his chest.  _ Oh no- _

 

“You’re quite foolish”, the redhead said as he took a necklace from his pocket, holding it in his hand. On the string was a slightly blackened puzzle piece with words written on it. “If there is a piece, there’s going to be a puzzle, but I didn’t think it would’ve been this easy to find it.” He nodded his head to signal for someone to come in.

 

_ It can’t that they caught Kagami- _

 

Kuroko was frozen in place when Aomine came into the room, not with Kagami, but with one of the kids from his home. It was a barely 12-year-old girl with brown hair and black eyes, her mouth gagged and hands tied behind her back while tears fell from her eyes out of fear.

 

“MIHO-CHAN!”, he shouted as he lunged forward, only to fall onto the ground face first as someone pinned him to the ground.

 

“It’s better if you stay still~”, Kise said on top of him. Kuroko didn’t even notice he came in also because he was too shocked to see Miho.

 

Akashi tutted and shook his head in mock-disappointed as he approached the girl who looked at the redhead fearfully. He took hold of the necklace on Miho’s neck, similar to the one he was holding. He linked the two pieces together and the text they showed said “a shadow will become darker if the light is stronger”. It was something Kuroko had written on the old puzzle pieces when he had first met Kagami. Later they had made the two pieces that had remained of the puzzle, after an unfortunate event, into two necklaces.

 

_ Kagami-kun must have given Miho-chan his necklace. _

 

“Let her go! There’s no benefit for you in keeping her! She has done nothing wrong!”, Kuroko yelled as he tried to get the blond off of him, but he was too heavy on his back, twisting the bluehead’s arms behind his back.

 

“She has done nothing wrong? I wouldn’t be so sure”, Akashi said with a raised brow as he drew a line on the girl’s cheek with his forefinger. “By law you’re supposed to inform the authorities of any possible criminal acts. I don’t think she has told anyone about the Phantom, has she now?”

 

“She’s just a child! She doesn’t know that! She doesn’t even know what I do! She’s innocent!”, Kuroko defended, but the smirk on the prince’s face made his stomach turn.

 

“Oh? Then that makes this even more interesting, doesn’t it?” Akashi’s face darkened as his smirk widened. “I wonder how it would feel like to taint her, break her and then kill her slowly in front of your eyes? Doesn’t that sound  _ fantastic _ ?”

 

Kuroko looked desperate as he bit into his lip. “Please, I beg you! Let her go! She doesn’t deserve it! I will do anything!”, he pleaded.

 

“Anything?”

 

Kuroko’s blood ran cold at the look in Akashi’s eyes. It was like a predator eyeing a cornered prey.

 

The bluehead gritted his teeth as he nodded rigidly. He felt a shiver go down his spine as the prince’s grin widened. He looked almost insane and he probably was.

 

Akashi took a few steps forward until he was standing in front of Kuroko and Kise, looking down at the small bluehead, before leaning down to whisper in his ear.

 

“I know just the right thing”, he whispered, his hot breath caressing Kuroko’s skin and causing him to tense. “Daiki, bring the girl in and stand with her in the corner.”

 

“Wha- Just let her go!”, Kuroko yelled, trying to get free.

 

“If I was you, I wouldn’t struggle too much. Who knows what might happen to that ‘Miho-chan’ over there”, the redhead warned, his tone and expression dark, but he still had that crazy grin on his face. He took hold of Kuroko’s arms, Kise automatically moving out of the way as Akashi threw the small male back onto the bed harshly. “Ryouta, go outside and watch the hallway.”

 

After a having regained his bearings from by the sudden throw, Kuroko quickly tried to get up and go to Miho, but stopped once he saw the dagger threateningly close to her neck.

 

“Didn’t I say it already? The more you struggle, the more she will suffer”, Akashi said as he stood next to the bed, before leaning down quickly, taking hold of the other’s wrists and holding them on top his head.

 

Kuroko wanted to trash and struggle, but he held himself back due to the redhead’s warning. That didn’t stop him from glaring at him like he wanted to murder him. Oh, how he would enjoy ripping that throat-

 

“I like that look in your eyes”, the prince started as he got on top of Kuroko, using one hand to keep the other’s hands up while the other hand went to loosen the sash on Kuroko’s waist. “But I’m going to like your crushed look even more.”

 

He took off the sash and brought it up to tie around the smaller male’s wrists and onto the bed’s headboard. Once Kuroko noticed what Akashi was doing he tried to pull his hands away, but the muffled yelp coming from the little girl made him stop.

 

Akashi chuckled darkly. “You’re starting to learn.”

 

Kuroko just wanted to smack that expression off the other’s face so badly, but the only thing he could do was glare and bite onto the inside of his cheek. However, that defiant expression dropped once Akashi started to take off his clothes.

 

“What are you doing!?”, he shouted as he tried to wriggle away.  _ He couldn’t possibly be thinking of- _

 

“You said, you’d do  _ anything _ , didn’t you?”, Akashi asked and Kuroko’s blue eyes were wide as saucers as he heard the next words. “How about you use that body of yours to pleasure me, hmm?”

 

Kuroko felt like he watched the next events happen from afar. Akashi ripped off his pants before taking off his own clothes. Aomine averted his eyes when the crimson haired prince forced himself into the smaller male. Kuroko didn’t want to know what Miho’s face looked like.

 

Once Akashi hit a certain spot that made Kuroko see stars, he heard a high-pitched voice moan out in pleasure. It couldn’t have been his voice. He wasn’t getting pleasure out of this. It hurt. It was humiliating. It was absolutely disgusting. But he couldn’t help himself as he kept moaning and crying out in pleasure. It was as if his mind was taken over by someone.

 

It was after his vision went momentarily white with his climax and he felt Akashi’s rhythm stutter, when he made the mistake of turning to look to his side. Miho was shaking and crying with wide eyes as she looked at the floor. Their eyes met for a second and Kuroko couldn’t help but think that maybe he should’ve just died right there, before he lost consciousness.


	4. Blank Gaze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone~ I finally finished another chapter for this~ Though I'm not sure how happy you are going to be about it~ But enjoy as much as you can~

Kuroko groaned in pain when he woke up. He felt his whole body aching as he tried to move and it took a moment to remember why. When he did, he quickly sat up, his head swimming with dizziness from the sudden movement. He covered his face with his hands as he tried to calm himself down.

 

_ Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothinghappenednothing- _

 

He kept repeating that in his head like a mantra. However, before he could calm down fully, the door to the room opened and he saw Akashi come in.

 

“Oh? You’re awake, Phantom”, the redhead hummed as he closed the door behind him and started to approach the bed.

 

“Where is she!?”, Kuroko shouted, causing the other to stop in his tracks. “You better not have done anything-”

 

“I wouldn’t go as far as touching a child just to get you to listen to me”, Akashi said, his face unreadable. Kuroko almost relaxed a little, before a plotting smirk rose onto the other’s face. “ _ Or would I? _ ”

 

“You scum-”

 

“‘Scum’, you say?” Akashi let out a chuckle that was anything but light. “I wonder who was the one that was moaning like a wanton  _ whore _ even though they were being watched by  _ a brat _ ?”

 

Kuroko glared at the slightly taller male even as he felt guilt and disgust squeeze at his heart.

 

“Oh, that was  _ you _ , wasn’t it?” Akashi looked at him with a condescending look in his gleaming eyes.

 

“SHUT UP!”, Kuroko shouted, but he was soon slammed against the bed as the crimson haired prince got on top of him, pressing him against the mattress.

 

Akashi tut-tutted in his ear, his breath ghosting over Kuroko’s skin.

 

“You still didn’t learn your lesson, did you now, my dear Phantom?”, he whispered. “ _ I  _ make the orders and  _ you _ follow them. Not the other way around. Should I demonstrate what happens when you don’t listen?”

 

Kuroko almost trembled with fear as the other said that but he held it in as he looked the other straight in the eyes with a determined glare and spit onto his face. Probably not the best thing to do in his situation, but the momentary surprise and shock on Akashi’s face was all too amusing.

 

“You-” Before Kuroko could react, he was flipped onto his stomach. His eyes widened as he realized what the other mean to do  _ again. _ He tried to get away, but it was cut short as Akashi once again tied his hands together with the same sash from the previous day’s events, left lying on the bed.

 

“Stop! Let me go!”, the bluehead yelled as he tried to wriggle out of the bonds.

 

“Even in such a situation, you try to order me around?”, Akashi said darkly as he took off his clothes, before feeling up Kuroko’s back, his nails scraping at the skin. “If you want to be spared, you have to  _ beg _ for forgiveness.”

 

“Like hell, I will prostrate before someone like  _ you _ ”, the smaller spat out.

 

It was quiet for a while which made Kuroko be on edge since he couldn’t see Akashi’s face from behind his back.

 

“Your choice” was all Akashi said before he thrusted inside of Kuroko in one painful go.

 

Kuroko let out a silent scream as tears started to prick at his eyes, but he wasn’t given time to adjust to the sudden stretch as Akashi quickly went onto a rough pace, going in and out of him.

 

It hurt. It hurt so badly. Both physically and mentally. This was the third time he was being violated, but it didn’t make the shame and humiliation any less prominent. It was so disgusting. And it wasn’t only disgusting because someone was actually fucking him. But what made it even worse was that he was getting _ pleasure _ from it. He was  _ moaning in pleasure. _

 

He hated it. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t make it stop. The only thing he could do was just cry and moan from the pain and pleasure that Akashi was causing him. Why did he have to endure this? Why did he take on this stupid mission? Why didn’t he listen to Kagami?

 

As he once again lost consciousness after what felt like his climax, he could almost see Kagami telling him “Told you so.”

 

* * *

 

After the second time that Akashi had fucked Kuroko forcibly, he started to feel detached from himself. He was becoming more and more indifferent as the days went on. Maybe it was the fear of it happening again or certain past event, but he no longer felt the need to disobey Akashi. He no longer had the will for that. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally and he just felt like ending it all.

 

Akashi would eventually get bored of him and either execute him or just throw him out. Right now the former sounded better in his mind than the latter. How would he be able to face his friends and family after all that happened again?

 

However, Akashi’s behaviour changed alongside Kuroko’s. He would come in like usually, try to rile up the smaller with his snarky remarks, but when he got no response, he would just leave and slam the door shut, either in anger or frustration. Kuroko didn’t know, but he also didn’t have the mind to even care.

 

Why did he have to endure this all over again? One time wasn't enough so he needed two more? Or was it finally time for God to punish him for his sins?

 

He wasn't much of a believer but what did it matter at this point. Nothing really mattered anymore. He felt too detached from his body to feel anything but the dull pain in his chest.

 

The door suddenly opened, Akashi coming in, but it didn't manage to snap Kuroko out of it. He just felt that…. _ empty _ .

 

He lied on his side in the bed, looking to the place where Miho had been when Akashi first had his way with him-  _ raped _ him, his body and soul.

 

“So you’ve actually become a ghost, huh, Phantom?”, Akashi taunted, trying to get a response from the other.

 

“If you came here to fuck me again, just do it", Kuroko said quietly, his voice as empty of emotion and spark as he felt.

 

“Are you sure you should say that? I might just do it", the redhead threatened as he got on top of the smaller, pressing him into the mattress by his shoulders, but his expression soon turned from a smug grin to a frown.

 

“Take what you want. My body, my soul, my life, I don’t care anymore”, the bluehead murmured, his tone tired as blank, hollow eyes stared up at the heterochromatic ones.  _ There’s not much left to take anyway. _

 

“Tch-", Akashi snapped as he picked himself up from the bed angrily and headed for the door. “I’m not into necrophilia.”

 

* * *

 

Akashi was angry and extremely easily irritable at the moment and it was as clear as day to see. He had already snapped at too many maids and butlers to count.

 

And it was all because of  _ one little assassin _ .

 

He had become so unresponsive and dull that Akashi wondered why he still even kept him.

 

Midorima also seemed to wonder the same thing.

 

“Akashi, how long are you planning to keep the Phantom alive?”, he asked as they were playing chess in Akashi’s room.

 

“For as long as I can get something out of him”, Akashi answered as he moved a piece and Midorima could only sigh.

 

“If that’s how it is, then why are you still keeping him? As much as I have seen, he has become just an empty shell. What could you still get from him?”, the greenhead asked as he made his move on the board. “And I doubt it’s sexual pleasure since you could have just about anyone you wanted.”

 

“I don’t need some peasants that offer themselves to me on a silver platter”, the smaller male scoffed as he moved one of his pawns on the board, placing it down a bit too aggressively.

 

“So what you want is a challenge”, Midorima concluded as he moved his bishop.

 

“Life would be boring without some challenges, wouldn't you agree?”, Akashi asked, eating the green haired man’s bishop with his queen. “Check.”

 

“That's one way to think, yes, but what challenge is there left with the Phantom?”, the taller said with a frown as he moved his king. “He has become more compliant and obedient than most people that serve you. You could probably disembowel him while he was still alive and he wouldn't care. That’s how big of a challenge you're dealing with.”

 

“Oh? That actually sounds like a good idea", the crown prince hummed, moving his queen again.

 

“Akashi, you can't be serious?”, Midorima sighed as he moved his piece before looking into those heterochromatic eyes with a deep frown on his lips. “I despise him for his crimes but this should be enough of a punishment already. You have already broken him, isn't that good enough?”

 

“Shintaro, it almost sounds like you care about him?”, the redhead said, arching an eyebrow at the other, his gaze intense and threatening.

 

“I don’t, but I think he still deserves to be relieved of his suffering with a quick method”, Midorima defended as he pushed his glasses up to hide his anxiety. “Also, I worry what would happen to your mental health afterwards. After all, you're not...the most stable person mentally.”

 

“My mental health is in no correlation to the Phantom”, Akashi hissed, glaring at his companion.

 

“If his change in behaviour can affect you like  _ this _ , what do think would happen if you cut him open while he was still alive? I know you well enough to know that you would go insane. Now if you will excuse me.” He stood up from his seat, bowed to the redhead and headed for the door, stopping in front of it. “To be honest, to me you seem like a child whose favourite toy was broken. So I’d advise you to either fix it or get rid of it the soonest possible.”

 

With that, he left, leaving Akashi in the room alone. He moved a piece on the board bitterly.

 

“Checkmate.”


	5. One More Chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi~ I'm back~ It took a few months but I finally managed to write this! Also thanks for all the nice comments and kudos so far~ They give me a lot of motivation to write!
> 
> Enjoy~

“Seijuro, your bodyguards have been acting strange lately. Do you perhaps have something to report?” It wasn’t a question nor a request. It was an order and Akashi knew better than to disobey his father's orders. But that didn't mean he couldn't lie.

 

“It is nothing of great concern. It is simply cautious behavior brought forward by the coming winter”, the younger redhead lied smoothly, standing tall and confident.

 

The emperor hummed, his chin leaning on the hands supported on the table. There was a suspicious glint in his dark red eyes as he leaned back in his chair, an unreadable expression, very much like the younger Akashi’s, on his face.

 

“Yes, we certainly wouldn’t want another  _ failure _ like last year”, he said, a warning in his eyes.  _ Do not disappoint me. _

 

Akashi nodded, his face blank, but inside he was livid. His father liked to blame last winter’s occurences on him, too proud to admit that he was the one lacking. Last winter had been exceptionally cold and windy. Within the already dark winter night, the blowing snow made it easier for attackers to trespass unnoticed. The intruders, three assassins send from abroad to kill the crown prince, managed to get inside the palace walls but had been caught by Akashi’s circle before they had managed to enter the palace. All of it was caused by his father assigning too few and too incompetent people to guard the palace.

 

The redhead almost let out an unconscious chuckle in front of his father, but managed to keep his face straight.  _ I’ve already caught the assassin this time. _

 

“I will most certainly not have a repeat of last winter, Father”, the younger said, before bowing. “Now if you’ll excuse me. I have duties to attend to.”

 

He didn’t wait for his father’s reply as he exited that suffocating room under his father’s watchful eye. It felt easier to breathe in the hallway, but he only relaxed once he reached his room. He clicked his tongue as he ran his hands through his hair, messing it up, in frustration.

 

He couldn’t wait until his father bit the dust, but with the strong and healthy body that the man had, it would still take at least another few decades if not more. He wished that this year an assassin was send out for his father’s head instead of his.

 

* * *

 

“Akashicchi seems angry”, Kise whispered to the tanned male sitting next to him at the dinner table in Akashi’s personal dining room. “Did something happen?”

 

“Don’t know”, Aomine responded as he bit into a piece of meat. “Maybe he's just sulking because the Phantom doesn’t do what he wants.”

 

“Daiki.”

 

Aomine and Kise froze as they felt their crimson haired friend glare at them, radiating a murderous aura.

 

“Y-yes?”, Aomine asked, stuttering involuntarily.

 

“Would you repeat what you just said?”, Akashi asked with a razor sharp smile and Aomine swallowed hard.

 

“But it’s true, isn’t it!? You have been sulking since he changed!”, Aomine defended.

 

“Daiki, I am not sulking”, Akashi insisted, almost growled out.

 

“Akashicchi, I also agree with Aominecchi”, Kise said carefully, a shudder running down his spine when the redhead directed his glare to him. “You have been acting weird ever since the Phantom came here. I have never seen you like this before.”

 

“I also agree with Mine-chin and Kise-chin. It’s not like Aka-chin to be affected like this because of others”, Murasakibara said as he munched on the food. “Where’s sa-chin by the way?”

 

“Oh, she said she had something to do in the kitchen”, Kise supplied and both the giant and the tanned male paled.

 

“WE HAVE TO STOP HER!”, they yelled in unison as they rushed out of the dining hall.

 

Akashi sighed as he continued his dinner. Everyone had been insisting that he had had a change in behaviour. Yes, he was frustrated with the Phantom, but that shouldn’t have affected him. It couldn’t have _. _ The more the redhead thought about it, the more irritated he became.

 

“Akashi, I will ask again: How long are you planning to keep the Phantom alive?”, Midorima asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

 

“For as long as I can get something out of him”, Akashi repeated his answer from the previous day, but Midorima just rolled his eyes.

 

“You’re still saying that? Akashi, you’re smarter than this. It’s better to just end his miserable life and move on”, the greenhead advised.

 

“‘Move on’?”, Akashi scoffed as he glared at his right hand man. “Shintaro, he’s a wanted criminal, not my dead lover.”

 

“He may not be your lover, but he’ll be dead soon enough anyway if this continues, you know…”, the blond said.

 

“If that happens then it happens. It doesn’t affect me in the least”, Akashi said nonchalantly as he continued to eat, the food starting to lose its flavour.

 

“It sure as hell would", Aomine’s voice sounded as he walked back into the dining room with a pouty Momoi and disinterested Murasakibara. “I’m not the most observant person and especially you, Akashi, I could never really read. Not before in these last few days, at least.” He crossed his arms as he sat down back onto his seat. “You’ve been so obvious.”

 

“And what do you mean by that?”, the crown prince asked, a brow raised as a frown appeared on his face.

 

“You've become unhealthily attached to the Phantom", Momoi answered instead.

 

“You’re just letting your imagination run wild. I have not become attached to him. Don’t even try to make me seem like such a  _ weak _ person that clings to anyone they see”, the redhead almost hissed.

 

“I didn’t mean it like that", the pink haired woman corrected gently. “We know you better than anyone. Even better than the Emperor.” She paused, hesitating. “We can see the resemblance…”

 

“Resemblance to what, exactly?”, Akashi asked, getting more and more irritated by the second.

 

“To Shiori-sama.” The hold Akashi had on his fork and knife tightened as the female continued. “He has...or  _ had  _ the same fire in his eyes that Shiori-”

 

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!”, the redhead shouted suddenly, slamming his hands on the table heavily as he stood up from his chair. “Don’t you dare compare her to that vermin!”, Akashi hissed angrily. “Now if you will excuse me. I lost my appetite.”

 

With that the crown prince exited the dining room.

 

He was irritated and annoyed beyond words. His mother fought until the end, even if she was weakened by her sickness. She was nothing like the Phantom who gave up so easily!

 

As Akashi was thinking about it, he found himself in front of the room where that specific criminal was kept captive.

 

_ One more chance. I will give him one more chance….One more chance to what? _

 

He sighed as he unlocked and opened the door. The room was dark, the small candle that was burning on the nightstand long gone. As he opened the door a bit wider to bring in light from the hallway, he saw the blue haired figure lying in the same place that he had last seen him completely motionless.

 

Akashi left the door open as he walked closer to the bed.  _ Is he dead? _ The thought sounded almost disappointed and he had to brush it off as he got on top the other male.

 

“So you changed your mind?”, the bluehead said emotionlessly as his blank eyes stared into space. “I thought you weren’t into necrophilia.”

 

“Tch...You’re fucked up”, the redhead retorted as he picked himself up from the bed and stomped out of the room, slamming the door shut noisily. He doesn’t even care anymore. He should just kill the Phantom.


	6. Light From The Outside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone~ I'm finally back with another chapter! Enjoy~!

Kuroko felt so out of it. He had laid in the same place without moving for who knows how long. There was no window in the room so he no didn't even know if it was day or night.

 

Akashi also hadn’t visited him in a while. Maybe he finally lost interest and just forgot him here to rot. That no longer sounded so bad. A quick death to bring an end to his miserable life would’ve been optimal, but of course, you can't get everything you want.

 

As he was thinking of this, the door to the room opened, bringing in light and a familiar redhead.

 

Akashi stood still in the doorway for a short moment, casting an ominous shadow on the ground, before moving towards the bed and getting on top of him.

 

“So you changed your mind?”, Kuroko said. He wanted it to sound more snarky but it just came out hollow as he just looked past the redhead. “I thought you weren't into necrophilia.”

 

“Tch…You’re fucked up", Akashi snapped before noisily leaving the room as he slammed the door shut.

 

A streak of light was still left in the room and as the bluehead directed his eyes to the source, he noticed the door slightly ajar.

 

_ I could escape now _ , he thought wearily.  _ But where would I go? I can’t go back to Kagami-kun and the others when Miho- _

 

Suddenly he sprung to a sitting position as he realization dawned on him.

 

_ What about Miho-chan? Isn’t she still here somewhere? He said he wouldn’t lay his hands on a child but I doubt he would just let her go… _

 

It was worth checking, however. And that's why, with renewed energy, Kuroko quickly stood up, momentary dizziness hitting him, but he pushed through it as he slowly and quietly opened the door and peered out.

 

He could see and hear no one so he sprinted with soft steps down the hallway. He could see from the windows that it was around dinner time.

 

So if there would be someone bringing him food, they would notice sooner that he had escaped. With the time limit set he navigated quickly but quietly through the various hallways, searching for stairs down in the basement level where he assumed the prisoners were kept.

 

But suddenly a memory made him stop in his tracks.

 

_ “My father will not be told. He doesn't need to know.” _

 

Kuroko realized that if his existence was kept secret from the Emperor, then Akashi surely couldn't have placed Miho in the palace prison without his father knowing about it.

 

_ Then where…? Think Tetsuya. Where would he put her? _

 

As he was thinking, a door further down the hallway opened. Kuroko quickly dove under the table that was on the side, almost knocking down the vase that was on top of it as he accidentally pulled on the table cloth. However, he managed to stabilize the vase before the two guards walking through the door noticed it.

 

“But I didn’t know that Kise had a little sister”, the taller of the two said as they leisurely walked down the hallway. “I thought he was youngest of his family.”

 

“So did I”, the other said with a shrug. “But we better keep quiet about it. He did say that he snuck her in without permission, after all.”

 

“A great thing for a guard to say”, the taller said with a small chuckle.

 

“But kind of cute of him to show his little sister his living area just because she was worried.”

 

Kuroko didn’t need to hear more.  _ That has to be Miho-chan! So she’s in Kise Ryouta’s room. _ Now he just needed to locate Kise’s room.

 

_ He’s one of the crown prince’s bodyguards so his room should be close to Akashi’s. _

 

Heading back down the hallway he had come from while being on a lookout for anyone. He stood in front of Akashi’s bedroom before pressing his ear to the one opposite of him. Hearing nothing from inside, he slowly opened the door to only find darkness in the room.

 

He sighed in relief as he saw that the bed was empty. However, looking at the decor of the room, he could conclude that it wasn’t Kise’s room but Midorima’s if the shelves full of weird and astronomical things was anything to go by. After all, if his informant was correct the greenhead was obsessed with horoscopes.

 

He peered into the hallway and deeming it safe, he exited Midorima’s room and continued on to the next one. He proceeded with the same caution, listening for anyone inside, but hearing nothing, opened the door. However, it was another miss as he saw Aomine’s signature swords laying messily on the ground.

 

Kuroko continued the same process with the next to room before he finally found the right one. There was one candle lit in the room that had almost burnt out but he could see Miho tied on the floor to the bed’s leg.

 

“Miho-chan!”, he whispered as he dove onto the floor and started to untie the small girl.

 

“Tet-chan…”, the girl sobbed when she was finally free and hugged the older male.

 

“Shh...Everything will be okay now. I will take you back home”, Kuroko reassured as he stroked her back. “But we need to hurry before they notice that I’ve escaped.”

 

As he said that, he stood up, picking up the girl who wrapped her arms around his shoulders tightly as she was carried out of the room.

 

As Kuroko looked out from the room, he still couldn’t see any movement. So they weren’t planning on bringing him dinner anymore then. But better that way. It would take them longer to notice.

 

However, now the problem was how he would get out. He didn’t have any of his equipment and he also had Miho with him now. He also couldn’t exactly just prance out of the front gate. So his best bet was out of a window, but the breaking noise would alert the guards.

 

He walked with quick steps to the nearest window and looked around him. As he was looking for anything he could muffle the sound of the window shattering, he caught sight of Aomine walking towards him, but he was too late in hiding as his dark blue eyes locked with his of lighter shade.

 

“Hey! How did you get out!?”, the tanned male shouted as he took off in a sprint towards Kuroko.

 

The small male grabbed the first thing he could, a sword from the decorative armor on the hallway, and broke the window with it while shielding Miho from the glass shards. He didn’t have time to plan his escape further so he just jumped down from the window when the taller male was just an arm length away.

 

Kuroko had to praise his luck as he landed in the bushes on his back while keeping the girl tightly against his chest. He could hear Aomine shouting for Akashi and the other Miracles, but didn’t stay to listen further as he stood up as quickly as he could before running away from the spot, trying to ignore the pain striking his body.

 

He moved from shadow to shadow as he grew closer to the wall surrounding the palace. This time he didn't have his equipment with him and he was more visible now with the girl and the daylight so even if he could get the gate open, he may not be able to slip out unnoticed like when he slipped in.

 

Kuroko had to think fast. Akashi’s men would be here soon and he didn't have the time to prepare a precise plan. He just had to improvise on the go.

 

That’s when he noticed the familiar faces of the two guarding the gate. They were the ones who had seen Miho and been told that she was Kise’s sister who he had snuck in. It was risky but it was their only chance.

 

“Miho-chan, listen carefully. I have an idea", the bluehead said as he set Miho down onto the ground. He explained his plan carefully.

 

Miho was to go to the guards and ask them to let her out without anyone noticing so that her ‘Ryouta-oniichan’ wouldn’t get in trouble. If they opened the gate, she would hurry home ahead of him while slipped out from the gate at the last second. If they noticed him, at least he would have time until they raised the gate again.

 

“Can you do it, Miho-chan?”, Kuroko asked the little girl.

 

The brunette nodded determinedly and the older could only smile softly.

 

“Be careful", he said before Miho came out of the shadows and walked hastily towards the guards. She was nervous but that would play to the part.

 

“Hey, you’re Kise’s little sister, right?”, one of the guards said as they saw the little girl approach them. The girl nodded.

 

“What are you doing out here?”, the other asked, crouching down to be on eye-level.

 

“I-I have to go h-home before mom gets too worried”, she stuttered softly. “Ryouta-oniichan said that y-you would let me out. I don’t w-want him to get in trouble…”

 

“Aren’t you such a sweet sister", one of the guards said fondly before proceeding to open the gate. “Let’s get her out.”

 

The other guard nodded as he helped raise the gate. Once there was enough of a gap for the girl to go through, Miho gave a small bow and said her thanks before running out.

 

The gate was starting to close and Kuroko sprung up when there was only a gap that he could slide through, but he was stopped before he could even exit the shadows.

 

“Not so fast, Phantom", he heard a familiar voice whisper next to his ear as he felt a strong hit to the back of his head. “It seems I’m not quite done with you.”

 

That was the only thing Kuroko heard before his vision faded to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kind of stuck with the next chapter so I hope it won't take too long but I can't promise anything....I have like over half ready but I think that I should just re-write it /: But we'll see. Comments and kudos are always nice!


	7. Two Sides Of The Same Coin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Unnghhh....this chapter took forever to write...I really couldn't get it right so I re-wrote it three times and even now I feel like it's not all that great....I'm far too done with this chapter to re-read it but I hope it doesn't have too many mistakes.... Anyway I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Kuroko woke up feeling stiffness in his muscles and an ache in his head. He tried to stretch his arms and legs to relieve some of it, only to realize he couldn’t.

 

He quickly opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. He was in a different room to the one he had been imprisoned in.  _ Akashi Seijuro’s room _ , his memory supplied.

 

As he looked himself over, he noticed that his wrists were tied together tightly with rope while his ankles were shackled together, the chain attached to an oak desk that was next to the stiff and uncomfortable sofa he had been sleeping on.

 

Kuroko suddenly stiffened as he remembered what had happened before he lost consciousness.  _ What happened to Miho-chan? _

 

However, before he could ponder that any longer, the door opened, revealing none other than the familiar redhead. A frown and a glare found its way on his face while the redhead’s face had a content, mischievous smile on his face.

 

“So you have finally awoken", Akashi said as he stopped in front of the sofa the other was sitting on.

 

“I thought you were already done with me", Kuroko hissed with an icy glare.

 

“I thought so too", the crown prince hummed. “But it seems that you proved me wrong. I still very much have use for you.”

 

Kuroko snorted, rolling his eyes.

 

“Didn't you say that you're always right?”, he scoffed. “Not so absolute after all when a mere commoner can prove the oh-so great Akashi Seijuro wrong.”

 

“I wouldn't put you on the level of a mere commoner, my dear Phantom”, Akashi said almost eerily calmly, his red eyes almost glowing in the dark.

 

_ Wait! Red eyes!? _

 

“Who are you?”, the bluehead asked warily, tensing up. He thought the other had acted a bit weirdly but the change in eye color confirmed that this wasn't Akashi Seijuro. Couldn’t be.

 

“I didn’t think ‘he' hit you so hard that you forgot my name", ‘Akashi' mused. “I’m Akashi Seijuro, of course.”

 

“That can’t be. Your behaviour and eyes are different”, Kuroko argued before he realized what the redhead had said. “What do you mean ‘he'? Weren't _ you _ the one who hit me since you're ‘Akashi Seijuro’?”

 

“Yes, I am Akashi Seijuro and yes, it was indeed I who hit you, but not this me.”

 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

 

A smile rose onto Akashi’s lips as he said, “That is for you to figure out.”

 

The smile wasn’t sly or devious, but more patient and inviting, which put Kuroko on edge as he pondered over the other’s actions and words.

 

_ ‘Not this me’? It couldn't be… _

 

“You have two personalities?”, the bluehead said, more as a question than an answer. It sounded ridiculous, but it seemed like that was what the other implied.

 

“Correct", Akashi confirmed with a nod and a satisfied smile.

 

Kuroko’s brows knitted together as he took in the information, trying to find anything in Akashi’s demeanour that told him he was just mocking him, playing around with him. However, he found none of such thing. The redhead seemed serious.

 

“Now that I’ve told you such a secret about myself, how about you tell me your name?”, Akashi asked.

 

“Why do you think I would do that?”, the bluehead asked back with a frown. “If I was to tell you my name, I would be giving up any hope of freedom.”

 

“Unless you are from Rakuzan it’s very unlikely that your name is in any records. But whether it was or not, I already know your appearance”, the crown prince reasoned as he crossed his arms.

 

“I can just always change my appearance. If the cost of peace and freedom requires me to mutilate my face and body so be it. But my name, given to me by my family, is something I’ll  _ never  _ change or give up.”

 

Akashi was stunned into silence by the other’s words. The bluehead would rather go through pain than change his name? But...he could almost understand it. His last name was nothing but a burden and show of his heritage, his  _ father's _ heritage. But his first name, picked out for him carefully, with a lot of thought put into it by his dear late mother, he would never even consider changing. It was one of the few things that he still had of her.

 

“Then can I get something other to call you? If I keep calling you Phantom, my father might hear it and if that happens you can give up any hope of freedom”, the redhead said.

 

Kuroko felt wary of this new type of Akashi Seijuro. He was too  _ friendly _ , but he could tell that they were still the same person. There was that underlying strategic mind behind that soft facade, planning every step carefully but still always ahead of others.

 

“Kage", he answered curtly.

 

“A shadow, huh?”, Akashi hummed. “Reasonable.”

 

Kuroko was surprised when the redhead offered his hand to him in the form of a handshake.

 

“I can’t tell whether you’re treating me as a dog or a guest now", he scoffed, refusing to touch the offered hand as if it had offended him. But it basically had. The memory made him shudder.

 

It was like Akashi could tell what he was thinking as he lowered his hand, not seemingly minding all that much that he had been left hanging.

 

“What ‘he' did to you was  _ unsightly _ and most of all, unexpected. I didn't think ‘he' would stoop so low. But I’m not innocent either. I am, after all, the same person. We may be two different personalities but we share a body and mind. We think the same but act different", the crimson haired male said.

 

“And what's the point of telling all this to me? You want me to forgive ‘him’? Forgive  _ you _ ?”, Kuroko asked, his eyes turning steely.

 

“Not exactly. I won’t apologize. The someone to apologize to you will have to be ‘him'. We may be one and the same but unlike I, ‘he' doesn’t know regret and loss, doesn't understand what it means to be wrong. That's why ‘he’ will be the one to apologize. I want ‘him' to realize ‘his' own mistakes", Akashi explained with a calm expression, not at all put off by the glare that the bluehead was sending his way.

 

“So if you regret what you did, why capture me again?”, Kuroko asked.

 

“You’re still a wanted criminal. If I’d let you go, there’s no telling whether someone else could catch you again.” A dark smirk rose onto those lips as his other eye briefly flashed yellow. “And I wouldn’t want anyone else to catch something that is  _ mine _ .”

 

“I am no one’s! Especially not someone like yours!”, the bluehead shouted as he tried to kick the other. It, however, failed as Akashi took a step back, the chains limiting Kuroko’s reach. “You seem to think that you’re a better person than the ‘other you’ but you’re just the same kind of twisted bastard.”

 

The redhead watched him with calm eyes but he soon found himself pinned to the couch, his neck being squeezed and his tied hands pinned over his head. Kuroko started kicking out and wriggling around when his lungs weren’t getting the needed amount of air.

 

“You should watch your words”, Akashi warned as his flaming eyes glared at the bluehead. “If ‘he’ was the one you said that to, you might’ve lost a limb if you were fortunate. If I’d left everything in ‘his’ hands, you would be dead or worse. You should be grateful.”

 

Kuroko could only half listen to what the other said as he was too busy trying to get some oxygen in his lungs in vain. It was only after his strength was running out and vision starting to blur at the edges that the crown prince let go.

 

He coughed roughly and panted as he could finally breathe, his neck still feeling the pressure. He would definitely have bruises.

 

Akashi straightened his clothes once he stood up and with a last glance at the struggling bluehead, he exited the room. Kuroko was laying there, trying to catch his breath as frustrated tears started to prick his eyes but he held them in. He wouldn’t cry and he would get out of here. He was sure of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a sidenote, the updates for my fics will probably continue being slow because I'm stuck in writing in most of them...but I haven't dropped them!


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